Homozygosity for the HLA-DRB1 allele selects for extraarticular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis

Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis is genetically linked to a group of HLA-DRB1 alleles sharing a sequence motif within the third hypervariable region. Controversy exists over the role of the distinct allelic variants in affecting not only the risk to develop disease, but also in modifying the expression of the disease. We have stratified 81 patients according to their patterns of disease manifestations and identified the HLA-DRB1 alleles by polymerase chain reaction amplification and subsequent oligonucleotide hybridization. To identify precisely the allelic combinations at the HLA-DRB1 locus, homozygosity was confirmed by locus-specific cDNA amplification and subsequent sequencing. Our study demonstrated a high correlation of allelic combinations of disease-associated HLA-DRB1 alleles with the clinical manifestations. Characteristic genotypes were identified for patients who had progressed toward nodular disease and patients who had developed major organ involvement. Rheumatoid nodules were highly associated with a heterozygosity for two disease associated HLA-DRB1 alleles. Homozygosity for the HLA-DRB1*0401 allele was a characteristic finding for RA patients with major organ involvement. Our data suggest a role of the disease-associated sequence motif in determining severity of the disease. The finding of a codominant function of HLA-DRB1 alleles suggests that the biological function of HLA-DR molecules in thymic selection might be important in the pathogenesis of RA.

Purification of bovine interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein and its uveitogenicity in Lewis rats

Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein, IRBP, not only functioning as a shuttle to carry the retinoid between photoreceptor cells and pigment epithelium, but also inducing experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), was purified by ConA Sepharose affinity chromatography from the fractions containing IRBP obtained in the course of ion-exchange chromatography by which the bovine retinal S-antigen was purified. This much simplified method allows more rapid purification of the two kinds of protein. EAU was successfully induced with injecting 50 micrograms of IRBP emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant into the right hind footpads of Lewis rats. It was characterized by panophthalmia or endophthalmia with the severest damage in the posterior retina. Lymphocytes, mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells were found to be the inflammatory cells of infiltration, with lymphocytes being predominant.

[Pharmacological studies on the Chinese drug radix Angelicae dahuricae]

Several species of the Chinese drug Angelica dahurica from different habitats have been studied in terms of anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic actions and acute toxicity. The medical value of these species is reported in this paper as a guideline for their clinic application.

[Longitudinal changes of serum specific antibodies in Lewis rats immunized with IRBP]

The serum antibodies specific to either interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) or retinal S-antigen were longitudinally determined in Lewis rats immunized with 50 x 10(-6)g of IRBP emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant. To our knowledge, it is the first time to purify IRBP and to address the experiment with IRBP in China. It was shown that the antibody specific to IRBP appeared on the 7th day, followed by a gradual increase, and reached its peak on the 26th day after immunization. No antibody specific to S-antigen was found. The relation between anti-IRBP antibody and experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) which occurred in the increasing phase of the antibody suggests that the humoral immunity may be implicated in the pathogenesis of EAU.

HLA antigens and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease

Thirty patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease were typed for HLA-A and HLA-B antigenic determinants by a microlymphocytotoxicity technique. HLA-B22 antigen showed an increased frequency of 43.3% in the patient group (relative risk = 8.69; exact P < 0.0001; corrected P < 0.0025) compared with normal control group (frequency = 7.69%). This association suggests that immunogenetic factor may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease.

[Determination of coumarins in radix Angelicae Dahuricae before and after processing]

This paper reports the contents of coumarins in Radix Angelicae Dahuricae before and after processing. By CS-930 TLC scanner, the total contents have been determined to be 0.190%, 0.571%, 0.178% and 0.421% respectively.

[Serum antibodies to bovine retinal S antigen in the patients with uveitis and healthy subjects]

The antibodies to bovine S-Ag in sera were determined by ELISA in 43 patients with acute or chronic, anterior or panuveitis and in 32 healthy persons as controls. The results showed that the antibodies titers to bovine S-Ag in the patients with panuveitis were not different from those in the controls (P greater than 0.05). However the antibody titers to bovine S-Ag in the patients with anterior uveitis were significantly lower than those in the controls (0.01 less than P less than 0.05). It is suggested that there are naturally occurring antibodies to S-Ag in health persons. The relationship between antibodies to S-Ag and uveitis is discussed. It is indicated that natural antibodies to S-Ag may play a protective role in the healthy subjects.

[Effects of danggui shaoyao powder on blood rheological indexes and prostaglandin F2 alpha in dysmenorrhea patients]

The results showed that several blood rheological indexes of dysmenorrhea patients were abnormal, the contents of plasma prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) and menstrual blood PGF2 alpha of the patients were significantly higher than those of the normal women. The abnormal indexes were recovered to normal range after the patients had been treated with Danggui Shaoyao Powder for 3 months. Danggui Shaoyao Powder had better actions of improving the abnormal indexes than Tianqi Dysmenorrhea Capsule did.

[plants of Coptis from Tibet and Yunnan]

In this paper the relationship of Tibetan Huanglian and Yunnan Huanglian with Coptis teeta has been studied. The distribution and taxonomic features of Tibetan Huanglian are just the same as Coptis teeta, but quite different from Yunnan Huanglian. The results reveal that Tibetan Huanglian and Yunnan Huanglian are different in botanical origin.

Frequency stabilization of an AlGaAs laser diode by a Fabry-Perot interferometer locked to a laser beam frequency-locked to the D(2) line of a Cs atomic beam

An AlGaAs laser diode (slave laser) has been frequency-locked to a Fabry-Perot interferometer which is locked to a diode laser (master laser) beam frequency-locked to the D(2) line of a Cs atomic beam. Frequency-locking of the Fabry-Perot interferometer to the master laser beam frequency-locked to a resonance line of an atomic beam greatly improves its long-term frequency stability. Therefore, it substantially improves the slave laser diode frequency stability frequency-locked to it. The measured frequency stabilities show that the very high frequency stability of the D(2) line of a Cs atomic beam has been transferred to the slave laser by this frequency-locking system within 1.6 x 10(-11)(10s). This system can be used for building a network of diode lasers with high frequency stability.